1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a print system for performing printing on a paper via an ink ribbon while feeding the paper and the ink ribbon together, a paper printer, and a method of controlling the print system.
2. Related Art
In the related art, as a paper printer, a sticky note printer for printing print data on the surface of a fed sticky note is known. This sticky note printer feeds an ink ribbon in synchronization with the feed of the sticky note, inserts the sticky note and the ink ribbon between a platen roller and a thermal head, and performs printing on the sticky note by heat driving of the thermal head while feeding the sticky note and the ink ribbon in the same direction. In this case, the platen roller also functions as a feed roller for feeding the sticky note, and the feed roller and a winding shaft for winding the ink ribbon are driven by a single motor (JP-A-2003-11437).
However, in the sticky note printer, since the sticky note and the ink ribbon are fed together in a state that the sticky note and the ink ribbon are inserted between the platen roller and the thermal head at the time of printing, the ink ribbon is fed even when a blank portion of the sticky note, on which printing is not to be performed, is fed. Accordingly, the ink ribbon is needlessly wasted. In order to reduce such waste, it may be considered that the feeding of the ink ribbon is stopped when a blank portion is being fed. However, in this case, the surface of the sticky note may be affected by friction between the sticky note and the ink ribbon or the ink ribbon may be forcedly ejected